Coupling.



E. E. GOLD.

COUPLING. APPLICATION FILED MARI-'1, 190B.

91 3,950. Patented Mar. 2, 1909.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Fig.1.

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E. E. GOLD.

GOUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.14, 1908.

9 0 9 1 2 R a M d e t n nu t a P 4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENTOR 1 WITNESSES: gum/ D [tome s gfl w uh E. E. GOLD.

COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.14, 190B.

Patented Mar. 2, 1909.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

INVENTOR- gi A $10 rneys WITNESSES:

M 1 WW E. E. GOLD.

COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 14, 1903.

913,950, Patented Mar. 2, 1909.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

INVENTOR W TNESSES:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD E. GOLD, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

COUPLING.

Application filed March 14 To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD E. GOLD, a citizen of the United States, residing in the borough of Manhattan, city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Couplers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention aims to provide an improvement in couplers, especially adapted to ose couplers such as are used for connecting flexible hose of train pipes carrying steam or other fluid. These couplers depend from the ends of flexible hose lengths, and are arranged to intercouple with each other by the action of gravity and the stiffness of the hose. When they are uncoupled it is customary for the trainman to hang each coupler up from a chain depending from the under side of the car platform, so as to prevent the coupler from striking the ground. Difliculty has been found with the usual simple gravity locking couplers by their tendency to uncouple upon being thrown up by striking an obstruction on the track, or by a sudden jerk resulting in the tautening of the hose as the cars round a curve, and by their tendency to be partly opened by vertical undulations of the hose and the vertical movements of the car platforms; this partially open condition sometimes continuing to the end of a run because of the steam pressure tending to hold the upper edges of the gaskets separated and the comparatively inefficient means for clos ing such upper edges. For these and other reasons it has been proposed to provide a supplementary lock providing an additional resistance to uncoupling. According to the present invention the same force, the weight of the couplers, is utilized, but it is so applied as to secure a more powerful effect during the normal coupled position of the parts. In the particular style of lock shown there are various other advantages which are referred to in detail hereinafter.

The accompanying drawings illustrate embodiments of the invention.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a pair of hose sections and couplers mounted on the ends of a pair of cars coupled together. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the uncoupling operation as the cars pull apart. Fig. 3 is an end elevation of a car platform with the hose and coupler attached. Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic side elevation. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 2, 1909.

, 1908. Serial No. 421,263.

two couplers coupled together. Fig. 6 is a plan of the same. Fig. 7 is a cross-section on the line 7-7 of Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a side elevation of a coupler provided with another style of lock embodying the invention. I Figs. 9, l0 and 11 are respectively a side elevation, plan, and cross-section (on the line 1111 of Fig. 10) of couplers provided with another style of lock embodying the invention. Figs. 12 and 13 are respectively a side elevation and plan of still another style. Fig. 14 is a side elevation of still another style. Fig. 15 is a side elevation of a chain. Fig. 16 is a horizontal section on the line 1616 of Fig. 5.

Referring to the embodiment of the invention illustrated, an end port coupler of a common type is shown having a body A and a forwardly projecting arm B by the downward movement of which the couplers are intercoupled, the arm B having an overhanging flange C which engages a corresponding projection D upon the side of the mating coupler; so that by the downward movement of the arms B the gaskets E are drawn close together, and lateral movement of one coupler relatively to the other is also prevented. Ordinarily the couplers stand in the substantially horizontal position of Fig. 5 when they are intercoupled, and they are provided with necks F projecting upward at an angle and upon which the hose sections are ap plied; so that when the couplers hang down, their weight and the stiffness of the hose, tend to turn the arms B downward, and so that when the hose is stretched to an approximately horizontal line as in Fig. 2, there is a tendency to throw the arms B upward to effect the uncoupling.

In Fig. 1 each coupler is indicated as a whole by the letter G. The hose is shown at H. Ordinarily the couplers are provided with eyes J, and a chain with a hook on the lower end of it (for engagement with the eye J) hangs below the car platform, but this chain is out of engagement with the coupler when the latter is coupled, because the chain is so short that to attach the coupler to it would require a slight lifting of the coupler which would neutralize to a greater or less extent the locking effect due to the weight of the couplers. The upward pull or reaction of the chain would neutralize the downward pull due to the weight of the couplers. Consequently these chains are for use only after uncoupling. In the style of coupler shown, a chain K is used depending from the platform of the car, but having a very different function. Any other suitable supporting device may be substituted for the chain (such as a rod or other supporting device), and this chain or similar device is permanently attached to the coupler, the attachment being so designed as to prevent the unlocking effect which would otherwise arise from the upward pull of the chain upon the couplers.

The permanent attachment of the coupler to the chain has in itself certain important advantages, especially the prevention of the dragging of the hose on the track and the saving of wear upon the hose due to the supporting of the heavy couplers therefrom, and the assurance that the coupler is always held up after uncoupling without having to depend upon a separate operation of the workman to connect it to the chain. The locking of the couplers together by the upward pull of the chain is effected by mounting in the eye J a lever the rear arm L of which is connected to the chain, and the for ward arm M of which is arranged to bear upon an arm of the mating coupler, preferably the regular locking arm B or some part connected thereto. In the example shown the lever arm M bears upon the flange C of the opposite coupler arm so as to hold said coupler arm down in the position of engagement of the couplers.

Means are provided for limiting the movement of the look when the couplers are disengaged, so that the coupler may not hang too low. In the form shown, this limiting movement is very easily provided for by a lateral projection N at the end of the arm M, which projects over the body A of the coupler, and which in the locked position of the parts is slightly above the contiguous surface of the body A, so that when the coup lers are disengaged, it can move down only a slight distance beyond its locking position, and consequently the lever arm L isprevented from swinging freely about its pivot and the coupler is held up higher than if uch free swinging were permitted.

The manner of use of the mechanism so far described is substantially the same as with the old type of couplers having only the gravity operated locking arm. The workman lifts the two couplers and brings them together at the proper angle. The lifting movement slacks the chain and even puts the weight of a certain amount of the chain on thedever arms L, so that the locking arms M are lifted sufficiently to permit the coupler arms B to pass freely under them as they are turned toward the horizontal position. As soon as the couplers are dropped, the upward pull on the chain holds the coupler armB down, and evenbears down upon the coupler arm so as to force it forward in the locking direction as far as possible. With the old style of couplers, depending only upon the coupler arms, it has been customary to provide a-greatersecurity against unintentional uncoupling by extending the flange C upon the coupler arm a greater distance downward. This extension results in the necessity for tilting the coupler arms upward to a greater extent before the couplers will separate, and it has been difficult to provide a flange C of such length as to minimize accidental uncouplings Without at the same time making it difficult to uncouple automatically as the cars pull apart and causing an occasional breakage of the hose.

By the provision of the chain lock of this invention, the difficulty of unintentional uncoupling is increased, and the lower part of the flange C on the coupler arm may be cut off considerably, as compared with the usual proportions of this flange, without increasing the liability to accidental uncoupling. Also in the usual style of coupling there is a tendency of the couplers to separate slightly at the upper edges of the gaskets as the hose is jerked and swung during the movements of the train, and the weight of the couplers and stiffness of the hose are not suflicient to close the gaskets together against the steam pressure between them, so that a great leakage of steam and injury to the faces of the gaskets results. The lengthening of the flange C and the use "of supplementary locks previously referred to, while they diminish the liability of accidental uncoupling (the former by increasing the angle through which the coupler arms have to turn before they separate, and the latter by increasing the force necessary to turn them at all) have the disadvantage of at the same time adding to the difiiculty of automatically uncoupling when the cars draw apart, and tend to increase the number of breakages of the hose. The supplementary locks also require generally a pres sure beyond that obtained by the weight of the parts, in order to couple them.

According to the present invention the weight of the parts is utilized in such a way that the coupling of the couplers together is as easy as with the old simple style; the weight of the parts is arranged so as to secure a greater efficiency and to lock the couplers together more firmly while they are in their lowered or normal locking posithe ordinary simple style of coupler, and the automatic uncoupling is effected with the desired ease.

The diagram, Fig. 4, indicates the action described. The broken lines II indicate the normal position which the hose would assume if there were no connection with the chain. The chain, however, is a little shorter than would be necessary to permit the hose to fall to this position, and holds the lower end of the hose up to the position shown in full lines (H). Now as the train moves along the coupler is shaken violently and the hose lengths are lifted and lowered at the ends where they join the cars, so as to cause undulations, lifting and lowering the lower ends of the hose lengths through a range substantially covered by the distance between the broken and the full lines. During all these movements, however, the Weight of the couplers and of part of the hose exerts a strong downward pull upon the pivotal point of the locking lever, and presses the locking arm M of the lever down upon the end of the opposite coupler arm, where it has the greatest efliciency. The force of gravity therefore is exerted with a much greater efficiency than in ordinary simple couplers, and the undulations of the lower end of the hose do not materially vary the weight which pulls the locking levers down. Thus the greatest security against accidental uncoupling or partial uncoupling is provided; and in case of partial uncoupling the weight acting on the locking levers and the efficiency with which this weight is trans mitted to the locking arms of the couplers is such as to immediately press the coupler arms down and bring the gaskets together again. However, when the cars are separated and the upper end of each hose section is brought to the position shown in finely dotted lines H the hose begins to effect the bodily and permanent lifting of the couplers, and, as this movementof the upper end of the hose continues, the couplers are lifted so far that their weight is taken ofl the chains. The latter become slack and useless, and as the hose draws to the straight position of Fig. 2 (or nearly to said position, according to the length of the flange 0 and the angles of the necks of the couplers) the uncoupling is effected without any severe strain on the hose.

It may be desired to increase the pressure of the lock above that which is due to the weight of the couplers and to provide a cer tain ressure which shall exist even when the c ains are slack, and these results are conveniently secured by the use of a spring, such, for example, as the flat spring 0 (Fig. 8) fastened to the under side of the arm L. In effecting the engagement of couplers provided with such springs (or of a single such coupler with a coupler of the ordinary type,

since couplers with my improvement may readily intercouple with couplers lacking such improvement), the arm L will be pressed down by the hand of the operator as he grasps the neck of the coupler, and the locking arm M will then be lifted to allow the coupler arm of the mating coupler to pass to its position.

In place o'f'the vertically moving locking arm M above referred to the invention contemplates also a lock which has a horizontal movement to and from the position of en gagement with the opposite coupler arm. An example of such lock is shown 1n Figs. 9, 10 and 11. The arm L which is connected to the chain, may be of a shape similar to that shown in the previous figures. The arm M, however, overlies the body A of the coupler, and the lever is mounted on a vertical pivot P which projects upward from a block Q which is horizontally pivoted in the lug J; so that the lever is adapted for both vertical and horizontal movement. The arm M is bent downward at an angle and bears upon an inclined surface constituting a cam It formed or separately mounted upon the top of the coupler. An upward pull upon the chain arm L of the lever presses the locking arm M downward, and this down ward movement is converted into a lateral movement by the cam It, so that the arm M is forced outward over the edge of the coupler head and downward to bear upon-the arm of the opposite coupler. Now if a lifting effect be exerted by the coupler arm upon the locking arm M, the latter will move upward at short distance until the chain arm bears down upon the hose, which stops any further upward movement of the locking arm. The proportions are so arranged that in this position the coupler arm will not be freed.

In the operation of coupling, the locking arm l\ will be withdrawn to the position shown in dotted lines either by the hand of the operator, or by means of a spring S which is attached to a shoulder at the rear of the cam R, and which need be only sufficiently strong to swing the weight of the lever when it is not subjected to any vertical strain. This laterally moving lock may also he made to yield to an upward pressure of the coupler arm either by tapering the under side of the end of the locking arm M, or by making the spring S so strong as to shift the locking arm to its inoperative position as soon as it is lifted, or by any other suitable mechanism. In case it is desired to increase the certainty of lifting the locking arm M as soon as the chain is slacked so as to permit the opposite coupler arm to swing down to its position, this may be effected by means of a spring, such for example as the spiral spring T (Figs. 12 and 13) which puts a light upward pressure upon the locking arm M. Instead of relying upon a spring to lift the locking arm M, means may be provided which are actuated by the opposite coupler arm to lift the locking arm as desired. For example an extension U of the locking arm M may be provided as in Fig. 14, which has a cam surface in the path of the opposite coupler arm B, so that as the latter is moved downward the locking arm is swung upward about its pivot, and again swings downward as usual after the locking arm is passed. The chain K may be ar ranged to extend in approximately the vertical plane of the hose by attaching its upper end as shown in Fig. 3 to a point approximately in line with the point of attachment of the upper end of the hose. With the laterally moving lock of 9 and 10, however, it is preferable to arrange the chain so that it shall swing the locking arm M toward the locking position rather than away from it, and for this style of lock the chain may be attached to the platform at a point upon the opposite side of the center line of the car from the point of attachment of the hose, as shown at K in big. 3.

It will be seen that the correct operation depends largely upon the length of the chain or equivalent support, and for the purpose of determining with the greatest nicety that the couplers shall hang in the proper position the chain may be adjustable in length. Various means of providing for this adjustment may be provided, preferably such as retain at the same time the permanent character of the connection at both ends. For example, a hook V (Fig. 15) may be attached to the upper part of the chain, so that a portion of the chain may be looped up by this hook to shorten the effective length of the chain from end to end. Furthermore a spring may be employed arranged in any suitable way to take up a certain amount of slack of the chain and to hold the lock in operation (though with a lessened pressure) after it rises a certain distance beyond the full-line position of Fig. 4. Such a spring is shown by way of example at V? in Fig. 15. Too great an extension of the spring is prevented by a stop comprising a pair of rods X guided each within a loop at the end of the other, and adapted to prevent any extension of the spring beyond the length of these two rods.

During the last few years it has become customary to provide all couplers with lugs J either identical with or similar to those illustrated. Where the present invention is to be applied to couplers of the older type having no such lug, its lack will be supplied by a band such as is shown. at Y in Fig. 4.

The lugs J are usually so small 4 t e openings therethrough are drilled quite close to the body A of the coupler, and to the neck of the coupler upon which the lug J is raised. A convenient attachment of the shaft Z of the locking lever is provided by extending it backward to such a point that the neck and the body of the coupler do not interfere with the applying of an ordinary cotter pin, and providing a sleeve a arranged upon the extended end of the shaft so as to fit against he adjacent portions of the body and neck of the coupler, to provide a long bearing for the shaft, and to form an abutment to prevent the accidental, withdrawal of the shaft from the lug. The cotter pin 7) is preferably passed through the sleeve (0 as well as through the shaft Z. The locking lever is preferably made of a single drop forging or of other very strong construction, and is particularly valuable in its ready applicability by hand (that is to say, without theuse of any machinery) to couplers already existing. In order to apply the lever the shaft Z is simply introduced through the opening in the lug (l, the sleeve a applied to its end, and the cotter pin 6 passed through the sleeve and shaft and its ends spread apart. Where the coupler is not already provided with. a lug J the band Y may also be applied by hand around the neck of the coupler. This particular style of lock consisting of a lever arranged to bear down upon the end of the opposite coupler arm may also have a peculiar value as a supplementary lock (actuated, for example, by the spring 0 of 8) even where the lever is not connected to a chain, the manipulation of such a lock by the hand of the operator being extremely convenient. Again, the arm L attached to the coupler and extending backward a substantial distance for attachment to the chain and provided with a stop such as the arm ll to prevent the upward movement of the end of the arm L relatively to the coupler beyond a determined point is of great utility whether the arm L be used to operate a locking mechanism or not. It was previously the practice to apply an eye to the rearmost ring 0, e, which fastens the hose on to the coupler, and to connect the supporting chain to such eye, this eye having an advantage over an eye directly on the body of the coupler in locating the point of support as far to the rear as possible. But it was found that in the use of such an eye on the sleeve c there was an occasional blowout of the coupler from the hose, and in such a case the coupler was entirely lost. It Was to avoid such losses of the coupler that the lug J with an eye through it was applied dircctly thereon for connection to the chain. The lever EJ has the advantage of providing a connection directly to the coupler so as to prevent the loss of the latter, and at the same time providing a point of connection for the chain as far back from the end of the coupler as can be desired, and which by reason of the stop N can not shift toward the end of the coupler as the latter swings down.

What I claim is 1. A hose coupler having locking means actuated by a tilting movement, and a separate supplementary locking mechanism actuated by the weight of the couplers and acting with a lessened efiiciency when the couplers are lifted above their normal coupled position.

2. In combination, a hose, a chain, a hose coupler adapted to be supported alternatively from said hose and from said chain, locking means actuated by the weight of the coupler when it is supported from the hose, and supplementary locking means actuated by the weight of the coupler when it is supported from the chain.

3. A pair of hose couplers each having an arm and engaging its mating coupler by a downward movement of its arm, a hose and a chain for each coupler, said couplers being adapted to have their arms pressed downward by the weight of the couplers when such weight is supported by either the chains or the hose.

4. A hose coupler having an arm engaging the mating coupler by a downward movement, and a lock operated by a supporting chain and holding said arm down.

5. A hose coupler having an arm engaging the mating coupler a downward movement, and a lock adapted to bear down on the arm of the mating coupler with a pressure due to the weight of the coupler.

6. A hose coupler having an arm engaging the mating cou ler by a downward movement, and a lociring lever connected to said coupler and having one arm supported from overhead and the other adapted to overlie a portion of the coupler arm of the mating coupler.

7. A coupler havin a head adapted to be engaged by a forwarcfiy projecting arm 011 a mating coupler and provided with a locking lever having an arm L adapted to be connected to an overhead support, and an arm M adapted to overlie said arm of the mating coupler at a point adjacent to the head of the coupler carrying said locking lever.

8. A hose coupler having locking means actuated by a tilting movement and having a separate sup lementary lock, and a chain connected to t e car for operating the sup plementary lock, the parts being arranged to slacken the chain and release the supplemental-y look as the cars draw apart.

9. A hose coupler having a chain-operated locking member, and means for limiting its movement in the locking direction when the coupler is uncoupled.

10. A coupler having a chain-operated locking member including an arm L to which the chain is attached, and a projection N adapted to engage a part of the coupler when it is uncoupled and to limit the movement of the arm L.

11. A hose coupler having a lock actuated in the locking direction by a chain and adapted to be pressed back by the movement of an arm of the mating coupler during the coupling operation.

12. A hose coupler having a lock actuated in the locking direction by a chain and adap ted to be engaged by an arm of the mat ing coupler during the coupling operation, and to be pressed back by an arm of the matmg coupler during the coupling operation.

13. A coupler having a locking arm M actuated in the locking direction by a chain, and having a cam projection U adapted to be engaged by the arm of a mating coupler to force the locking arm M out of the path of the arm of the mating coupler until the latter has passed to its locking position.

14. A coupler having a lock, a chain for actuating said lock permanently attached at one end to said lock and at another end to a point of support, and means for adjusting the length of the chain.

15. A coupler having a look, a chain for actuating the same, and a spring tending to shorten the length of said chain.

16. A coupler having a chain permanently connected thereto, and a spring tending to shorten the length of said chain.

17. A coupler having a body A with a lug J, a lever having a shaft Z passing through said lug and a sleeve a on said shaft and bearing against the body of the coupler beyond the lug so as to form an extended bearing for the shaft.

18. A coupler having a body A with a lug J, a lever having a shaft Z passing through said lug and a sleeve a on said shaft and bearing against the body of the coupler beyond the lug so as to form an extended bearing for the shaft, and a pin 1) holding said sleeve and shaft in position.

19. A lever having a shaft adapted to pass through an eye on a coupler, a pair of arms extending from said shaft, one forwardly in the direction of the body of the coupler, and the other rearwardly, said arms being adapted to he both on the same side of said eye, whereby to permit the ready application of the lever to the coupler by hand.

20. A coupler having a forwardly projecting arm, in combination with a transversely pivoted lever having a forwardly extending arm adapted to swing down over the opposite coupler arm of a mating coupler.

21. A coupler having a forwardly projecting arm, in combination with a transversely pivoted lever having a forwardly extending arm adapted to swing down over the opposite coupler arm of a mating coupler, and a rearwardly extending arm for operating the lever.

22. In combination with a coupler, an arm directly attached thereto, extending backwardly therefrom, and restricted against upward movement relatively thereto beyond a determined point.

23. In combination with a coupler, an arm directly attached thereto, extending backwardly therefrom, and restricted against upward movement relatively thereto beyond a determined point, and a chain connected to said arm and to a point of 10 support.

pivoted thereon and extending rearwardly therefrom, and a projection connected to said arm and overlying the body of the coupler to limit the movement of said arm.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

EDWARD E. GOLD. Witnesses DOMINGO A. USINA, I THEODORE T. SNELL. 

